Terry Dean, a longtime West Side resident and editor of the Austin Weekly News, disclosed last week that he’s been diagnosed with Stage 1 colorectal cancer.
His surgery this week went well, AustinTalks is happy to report. And he should be back covering the West Side shortly.
Dean wants to make sure everyone, especially African-American men, listen to their bodies and persist if they think something is wrong – despite what the doctors may tell you.
“My main reason for sharing my experience and telling my story is to encourage others — especially black folk and in particular African-American men — to stay on top of, and advocate for, your health,” Dean writes in a Feb. 11 column.
“Don’t let anyone — doctors, family members, friends or strangers — make you think ‘it’s all in your head.’ And for black people, especially black men, we need to be even greater advocates for our health. African Americans are dying at a higher rate of cancer than all other ethnic groups various studies have shown over the last several years, even decades.
“Advocate for your health no matter what. It’s up to you.”
To read the rest of Dean’s column, click here.